Harvey Impact on Texas Agriculture

Hurricane Harvey arrived on the Texas coast as the state’s cotton harvest of an expected bumper crop was getting underway. The Texas cotton harvest is around 10 percent complete, with bales in the field and high storage levels. The storm came at what one cotton gin operator called “the worst possible time.” Southeast Texas agriculture has extensive damage from the storm. However, quantifying the damage will take some time, according to DTN. A Texas A&M AgriLife spokesperson says the storm is still in progress and it’s impossible to evaluate damages. For livestock producers, the state has set up animal supply points and shelters. Key agriculture areas hit by the hurricane could receive more than 40 inches of rain before the storm leaves the area. A DTN meteorologist says the worst of the storm is what comes after landfall, the destructive rainfall, adding: “It will be a top-5 costliest tropical system of all time, and likely the worst flooding event in U.S. history.”